Naturally Clueless
by animelover610
Summary: Lots of strange thing occur in Ikebukuro every day. So a girl fainting in the middle of the street was nothing too unusual. Little did anyone know that this girl was going to stir up more trouble...without even trying. Shizuo x OC
1. Not So Normal Day

To say Heiwajima Shizuo was confused was an understatement. A complete and utter understatement.

One minute this girl was perfectly fine, crossing the street like everyone else. Then suddenly she stopped and crumbled to the ground in the middle of the street. And as fate would have it, a car zoomed down the street and was heading straight towards her, the driver clearly not paying too much attention to the streets.

Onlookers cried out in shock, the scene playing out in their minds. Before Tom and the other onlookers could even blink, Shizuo was already out in the street and shielding the girl from the incoming car.

It was then that the driver slammed on his brakes, though he still slammed into the blonde, who skidded back with the girl in his arms. The driver jumped out of his car and started shouting apologies that fell on deaf ears.

Tom immediately started dialing 911 and tossed a worried glance at Shizuo, hoping that he wouldn't do anything rash in the meantime.

The crowd that had formed instantly recognized Shizuo and feared the fate of the driver that rammed into him. However, Shizuo surprised everyone when he directed his anger to the unconscious girl instead. He violently shook her by her shoulders and shouted.

"Wake the hell up, dumbass!"

The girl stirred instantly, her brown eyes fluttering open. Strands of her dark auburn hair fell in her face as she shifted in Shizuo's tight grasp. When her vision cleared, she looked up at the man above her and then the crowd that had gathered. She blinked a couple times and, with a large smile, said something that rendered Shizuo speechless.

"Oh! Did I fall asleep again? Hehe... oops!"


	2. Stranger than Strange

After a moment of silence, Shizuo snapped out of his stupor. The girl's strange, carefree response to nearly dying made his blood boil.

"Oops?" He questioned lowly, shoulders starting to tremble with bubbling rage. "You nearly got hit by a car… and all you have to say is… oops?!"

"Of course! This happens all the time~!" The clueless girl chirped, pushing herself to her feet and seeming to ignore the fuming blonde. She brushed the dirt off her bright blue sundress and patted down her slightly tousled hair. She then looked over herself and noted the scrapes on her palms and elbows. She touched her forehead, feeling a bump starting to form and saw red liquid smear on her fingertips as she held her hand in front of her face. The way she was going about checking herself made it seem as if this was routine for her.

"Hmm… this bump feels pretty big. I hope I don't have a concussion," she giggled to herself.

By this time, the crowd had dispersed and the driver had sped away in fear. Shizuo had already stomped over to a nearby lamppost and Tom frantically worked to calm Shizuo down before he could cause further harm to the poor girl with it. Once Tom was sure Shizuo wasn't going to do anything violent, he approached the girl and led her across the street, to where she was originally crossing to.

"A-are you okay… um…" Tom began, unsure of how to handle the situation.

"Haruka. Murasaki Haruka. Pleasure to meet you. And I'm perfectly fine! Well… I might have a slight concussion," she said, seeming to ponder about it for a moment. "Other than that, I'm great! But thank you for your concern…"

"Tanaka Tom."

"Ah! Well, thank you for your concern Tanaka-san. And I can assume that that man is the one who stopped the car and saved me, right?" Haruka asked, pointing at Shizuo, who was lighting up a cigarette.

Receiving a nod in reply, Haruka skipped over and gave a quick hug from behind to the unsuspecting blonde. "Thanks Hero-san~!"

Shizuo tensed at the sudden contact before he peered down at the short girl. There was a huge grin on her face as she looked back up at him. He could see recognition flash though her eyes as she slowly pulled away from him. And yet again she surprised him.

"Huh? Is that you, Shizuo-kun?"

A frown tugged at Shizuo's lips. Who was this girl and why did she seem to know him? Well, know him in a way that _**didn't**_ have her running away from him in fear.

When Shizuo went silent following her question, Haruka concluded that he didn't remember her. "I'm Murasaki Haruka. We went to high school together. Though I get how you probably wouldn't recognize me. I _did_ dye my hair after all. My hair used to be blonde like yours," she stated, twirling a lock of her auburn hair.

Shizuo instantly recalled a blonde-haired girl matching her appearance being in his class. Shinra always seemed to point her out but he had forgotten why.

Shizuo was pulled from his thoughts when she spoke again. "Well, I've got to get going. I'm…" she started, taking a glance at her watch, "Oh no! I'm 30 minutes late for a meeting with my friend! I hope he stayed at the café instead of going to look for me. Ah… well, it was nice meeting you Tanaka-san. And it was nice seeing you again Shizuo-kun. Thanks again for saving me."

"Are you sure you're alright? Maybe you should go get checked up at the hospital before you go. I'm sure your friend would understand," Tom insisted.

"Nah, I'm fine. It happens all the time. See ya!" Haruka turned around and started running. She didn't get very far, however, since she bumped into someone as she turned the corner.

"Ah! There you are, Haruka-chan! I've been looking all over for you," a sly voice called. A voice that made Shizuo's rage to come back full force and remind him why Shinra always pointed Haruka out.

"Izaya-kun!" Haruka sang, tackling said informant with a hug.


	3. Teddy Bear

**A/N: **Oh man, thank you guys so much for reviewing. It really makes my day every time I see that someone reviewed or favorite/put it on alerts or even just looked at it. You guys make writing my stories even more worthwhile that me just coming up with them.

I think I kept them in character for the most part so far. Izaya seems slightly OOC but I promise there's an explanation in later chapters. Feel free to take a guess.

* * *

><p>Time seemed to freeze for a moment. Haruka glanced at the two silent people behind her. Tom was frozen in his place and tossed a worried gaze at Shizuo. Shizuo's eyes were hidden behind his bangs but she could see the trembling of his shoulders. It looked to her like he was laughing demonically.<p>

'_Oh yeah…_' Haruka thought, remembering her days in high school. She especially remembered the fun she had watching their parkour fights and cheering for whomever she pleased…and then randomly falling asleep somewhere along the way, typically forcing Izaya to withdraw from the fight to get her to safety.

Haruka was brought from her thoughts with a couple of pokes at the ticklish spot of her side. She looked up only to see the smirk on Izaya's face. She knew then that he knew this meeting would happen. He probably sent that driver to almost run her over, somehow predicting that Shizuo would be nearby and would jump in the way. He probably left out the Shizuo detail when informing the poor man though.

"I get it. I get it. I'll move out of your way," Haruka huffed, sluggishly walking to the side she deemed to be a safe zone, tugging Tom along with her, as Shizuo roared and threw a newspaper dispenser at Izaya.

Haruka watched in fascination at the extreme fight that ensued. "Amazing. Simply amazing," she sighed dreamily, "Shizuo-kun is sooooo strong! It's still fascinating to watch him even after all these years."

Tom stared at her in surprise. Most people feared Shizuo's amazing strength. And yet this tiny, seemingly fragile woman was in awe of it. "Shizuo-san hates his strength. He hates that he can hurt people. He hates violence," Tom stated.

"Of course he does! Even I can see that in his perpetually angry scowl," Haruka scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Shizuo-kun is just one big, cute, cuddly teddy bear with anger management issues~!"

Tom nearly fell over at her strange comparison and how cheerfully and bluntly she said it.

Just then, Haruka shoved Tom aside and then twirled out of the way of a lamppost.

"Ooooooiiiiiii~! Iiiiiiizaaaaayaaaaa-kuuuuun~!" Haruka drawled in a Shizuo-like manner, her hands curved around her mouth in an attempt to sound louder than she was. "Could you cut this short? I wanna go eat lunch at that cutesy maid café near the apartment. Preferably before I fall asleep again."

Izaya sighed and retracted his blade. "You heard the lady, Shizu-chan. Let's call it a day." Izaya smirked as another street light came flying in his direction. He gracefully dodged and snatched Haruka's hand as he scampered away from the murderous blonde.

"See ya, Shizuo-kun!"

"See ya, Shizu-chan!"

The two called out simultaneously before they disappeared into the crowd and out of sight.

Shizuo let out a furious growl. '_This is all that girl's fault,_' he thought as Tom calmed him down.


	4. Play Date

**A/N: **Because I feel that my writing is a little lackluster, I borrowed a lot of grammar/writing practice books from the library to get better at it and make your reading experience more enjoyable. Just wanted to let you know in case my crazy plan actually works.

And I really wish I could use strikethrough like I wanted in here. As a replacement, I used (-word-). But it's really a strikethrough.

* * *

><p>It was a little over a week later that Shizuo saw Haruka again.<p>

"Oh Shizuo-kun~!"

Shizuo flinched at the sickeningly sweet tone of the voice. It was annoying just how much the voice reminded him of the damn flea.

"Shi. Zu. O. Kun~!" Haruka chirped, tackling the taller man in a hug.

Shizuo instantly shoved her off. "What the hell do you want?"

Haruka pouted up at him from her spot on the ground. "Whaddya mean 'what the hell do you want?' I just wanna hang out with you for the day. Izaya's out making someone's life miserable and left me all by my lonesome," she whined, not bothering to get up.

Shizuo turned and walked away. "Forget it! I have better things to do than babysit you!"

"No you don't! All you do on your day off is wander around the city!"

"How do you even know that?" He glanced at her with annoyed curiosity before shaking the thought out of his head. "Whatever. Doesn't matter. Go away."

"I'll cry."

Shizuo stopped mid-step. "_**Don't**_ cause a scene," he warned, tossing a glare in her direction.

"You don't scare me," she huffed, "And I _will_ cry if you don't let me tag along with you for the day."

"You wouldn't dare." Shizuo's fingers twitched, just wanting to grab anything to hit the annoying girl with.

Haruka's pout turned into a dejected frown as her eyes started to water. "Last chance," she threatened.

When Shizuo turned to leave, she let out a loud wail, childishly putting her curled fists near her eyes. (-Crocodile-) Tears fell freely down her face. And of course, random passersby were staring at the scene she was causing. It was to her advantage that, while she was just as old as Izaya, she still had a childish look about her.

"What a jerk, making that little girl cry."

"What kind of man would make a girl cry like that?"

"How mean!"

Shizuo's eye twitched as he stomped back over to Haruka. He snatched her hand and tugged her to her feet before pulling her away from the gossiping people.

"Dammit. You're so annoying." Shizuo growled, tightly gripping her wrist.

Haruka ignored the throbbing pain in her wrist and basked in her victory, cheering happily as she skipped after him.

Shizuo already knew this was going to be a long, exceedingly difficult day off.

* * *

><p>Haruka giggled and twirled around the playground they ended up at. Shizuo was slumped in a bench not too far away. He was exhausted being dragged around all day by the energetic girl. In fact, she made him carry all the bags of things she bought. He was surprised at how much he was putting up with her. Had it been anyone else, they would've gotten a face full of stop sign by now.<p>

She had dragged him through the town to ice cream kiosks, candy stores, toy stores, and the arcade. They went everywhere a little kid would want to go to, including the playground they were currently at.

Haruka jumped off the swing she was standing on and walked over to Shizuo. "I'm sleepy. I should be heading home now. Izaya-kun's probably waiting for me. Walk me to the train station," she yawned, rubbing her eyes.

Shizuo glanced at the clock as it struck 6 o'clock. He sighed, realizing he had to walk her there, lest she be kidnapped along the way and he'd be at fault. He pushed himself up and led the way to the station, not giving Haruka another glance.

* * *

><p>Not even five minutes later, something in a small store just a block from the station caught Haruka's eye as they walked past it. She tugged Shizuo's shirt and made him stop. "Let's go in there, Shizuo-kun!"<p>

The blonde glanced at the trinket store and instantly denied her request, wanting to get rid of her as soon as possible.

Haruka was not pleased with his response and dragged him into the store. "It'll only take 3 minute. Just wait here, kay?" She quickly shifted through the aisles, looking for whatever caught her eye. And just like she said, they were out of there within minutes, a bag of her purchases in her hands.

When they arrived at the station, Haruka dug something out of the bag she was holding and slipped it in her pocket before grabbing all the bags she'd forced Shizuo to carry.

"Thanks for playing with me today! I had lots of fun!" With that, she hopped up on a ledge and leaned down to place a kiss his forehead.

Before Shizuo could react, the auburn-haired girl shoved the bag from the trinket store into his arms and ran off.

'_What the hell is wrong with that girl?_' He wondered, rubbing his forehead as he turned his attention to the bag. Shizuo reached in and pulled out its contents, curiosity getting the best of him.

In his hand was a small, yellow-furred bear.

**[Extended Ending]**

"Izaya-kun~! I'm hooooooommmmmeeee~! And I got you a present!"

"Welcome back, Haruka-chan. What ever did you get me?" Izaya shuffled down the stairs, chuckling as the girl carelessly tossed her bags into her room.

Haruka reached into her pocket and presented him the gift with a cheeky grin. "I saw it and automatically thought of you~ "

Izaya deadpanned at the sight of an ootoro phone charm. [1]

* * *

><p>[1] Ootoro = Fatty tuna<p> 


	5. Your Friendly Neighborhood Troublemaker

Sunlight shined brightly behind Haruka's eyelids. With a groan, she blinked her eyes open in her uncomfortable position on an equally uncomfortable— she looked to the side— park bench. The last thing she recalled was that she was babysitting Izaya's little sisters… while they were at the ice cream parlor nearly 2 blocks from this park at about 12:45 P.M. Her eyes shifted to the clock on the pole, reading that it was now 12:56 P.M.

'_Awww. Those two carried me all the way to the park and set me somewhere to rest._' She didn't even think about how dangerous sleeping in public was in Ikebukuro of all places. Haruka shifted to sit up but was stopped when something tugged at her hair. She wasn't surprised at what she saw.

There was gum on the bench. The mango peach gum that Kururi was chewing while they were on their way to the park, to be more specific. She had figured something like this would happen when babysitting those demon twins and had packed a pair of safety scissors.

"Mairu? Kururi? Where are you two?" Haruka called, snipping off the little bit of gum-infested hair. Luckily, none of the gum got on the huge black jacket that engulfed her tiny body. It was her favorite, after all.

Haruka walked around the park calling their names, but gave up after less than a minute. "Oh well, Izaya will be more than happy that I 'lost' his sisters. Hell, he'd probably be ecstatic that they're gone," Haruka mumbled to herself, walking out of the park. "Too bad they'll probably find their way home anyways."

Haruka wandered the city, bored out of her mind now that her entertainment (in the form of twins) was gone. And as a mischievous troublemaker, she needed something to keep her occupied, even if it meant causing chaos. She found her new entertainment soon after in the form of three high school students being tormented by some random thugs on the street.

"Hiya guys~! What's going on here?" Haruka prodded, sneaking up behind them and jumping into their conversation. She lazily slumped over the blonde boy of the trio and threw her arms over his shoulders. The three students jolted and whirled around to face her, except the now immobile blonde.

The one who appeared to be the leader stepped towards them and waved his hand wildly. "Who are you, bitch?"

The student trio tried to back away from the thug, but Haruka kept them in place. "Me~? I'm just your average troublemaker, nice ta meet cha," she drawled, winking at him. "But I suggest that you leave these kids alone. Juuuuuust sayin'~."

The man frowned. "And why's that, little girl? You can't do anything about it." He flicked out a knife and pointed it towards Haruka. "And now you're involved in this too!"

"My, oh my. Idiots should play with knives. Actually I think Izaya-kun's the only one who can." She noted in passing that the man had black hair and that he was getting angrier with each word she said. "But I bet that even this weak, fragile, 'little girl' can beat a big baddie like you."

"And how the hell do you plan on doing that?!" The black-haired man growled.

Haruka giggled, letting go of the boy she was leaning on and skipping over to the thug. She stood on her toes and leaned up to his ear, narrowly dodging the swipe of his blade. "Like this," she whispered.

Haruka tossed her jacket over the man's shoulders. "IZZZZZAAAAAAAAAAYYYAAAAAAAAAA-KUUUUUUUUUNNN!"

Now Haruka knew Izaya would **never** come to help her out in such situations. Actually, he wouldn't help in _**any**_ situation! She knew he was in the area, watching her, probably plotting some kind of unfortunate event to throw her into and enjoying the chaos she spread.

It was silent for a few moments before the leader and his goons started laughing. "Looks like your boyfriend isn't coming to save you!" The leader cackled and slipped on her large jacket, not seeming to recognize the name she yelled.

"Oh, I know that he's not coming. But he's not my boyfriend. And I wasn't expecting him to come. So if you'll allow me some last words, all I have to say is '3'." Haruka skipped towards the students.

"2." Haruka stood behind the students, wrapping her arms around the two at the ends. Everyone present looked at her in confusion.

"1." She winked at the students.

"DUCK!" She shoved the three kids down and followed suit. As soon as they were down, a yield sign came flying through the air, slamming into a couple of the thugs and sending them flying over their heads. A loud roar echoed the name Haruka had called out earlier.

Quickly, Haruka tugged the three to their feet. "Now run," she shouted cheerfully. She pushed the kids ahead of her and then whirled around to face Shizuo.

"He's up there, Shizuo-kun!" Haruka pointed up at a rooftop she had seen Izaya hiding earlier on during the incident. She laughed haughtily at the sight of Izaya leaping from that rooftop to an adjacent one, though too late to avoid being seen by Shizuo.

Haruka then turned her attention to the thug boss. He was propped up against a hole in a brick wall formed by the sign, barely conscious and foaming at the mouth. She kneeled down, smiling cutely. "By the way, I'm 24. I'm **_not _**a little girl," she whispered dangerously in his ear. With that said, she chased after the kids she had rescued. Her entertainment would _**not**_ get away.

* * *

><p>Haruka found the high school trio lingering outside of Russia Sushi, catching their breath. "Hello," she greeted, slinking up behind and surprising them yet again.<p>

The black-haired boy was the first to speak up. "Ah, t-thank you for helping us. I thought that that guy was going to attack us, or worse," he bowed. The girl followed suit but the blonde merely gazed warily at her.

"Nyuu~," she sighed, "it was nothing really. I was bored and your whole situation looked fun. My entertainment ditched me when I KO'ed so I was looking for some other entertainment. And so now I'll be sticking with you three for the rest of the day." She grinned and grabbed the girl's hand. "Come on! Let's get some sushi while we're here. My treat."

The black-haired boy once again spoke up. "N-no, that's alright! You don't have to pay for us! We couldn't possibly let you do that."

_'He's a shy and humble one, huh? How cute! Though…_' Haruka glanced at the blonde kid. '_What's the deal with this one? He's looking at me like I have the plague._' "It's no problem at all, m'dear. I've got it covered," she said, flashing a credit card at him. The grin on Haruka's face turned mischievous as she greeted Simon and pushed the students into the restaurant.

* * *

><p>When Haruka returned to Izaya's apartment later, she didn't see him in the living room like she usually did when she returned. "Izaya-kuuuuunn, where are you," she sang, skipping about the large apartment.<p>

Haruka found him napping in his room. It was a rare moment, one that she just couldn't pass up. With an impish grin was painted on her lips, she crawled onto his bed and jumped up and down. "Wakey wakey Zaya-chan! Wakey wakey!" As if that wasn't enough, she kicked him off his bed, causing him to smack his head on the edge of his bedside drawer before landing in a heap on the floor.

A barely audible groan left Izaya's lips as he pushed himself to his feet. "What time is it," the informant questioned, pretending that nothing had happened.

"Time for _you_ to buy _**me**_ a new black jacket," Haruka chirped, "because it's your fault that my jacket had to be sacrificed earlier." She dragged him out of his room and to the door by the hood of his jacket, nearly strangling him to death in the process.

Izaya was tossed out but he stuck his foot by the door to keep it open before Haruka could slam it in his face. "By the way," he started, "I couldn't seem to find one of my credit cards. You wouldn't happen to know where it is, would you, Haruka-chan?" She easily detected his oh-so-accusing undertone.

With a sweet smile and a cheery "Nope," she kicked his shin and slammed the door in his fox-like face. Seconds later, the door opened slightly, his shoes hitting the wall behind him with a dull 'thunk', before it was slammed again.

**[Extended Ending]**

"So demanding," Izaya sighed, slipping his shoes on. "But it'll be so much fun watching what you do next with what I have in store for you, Haruka-chan." He chuckled, slinking off to find the man he was scheduled to meet.


	6. On The Job

"Celty! Celty Celty Celty!"

The clicking of buttons filled the once silent room. "Yes? What is it, Haruka? Is something wrong?"

Haruka shook her head. "No, but I wanna come with you on your job. Take me with you~!" Without giving her time to reply, Haruka slipped out the door of Shinra's apartment and down to where Celty's horse/motorcycle was kept, giggling the entire time.

Izaya had kicked Haruka out of the apartment for the day, saying that he had 'important guests' coming over for business. So of course, Haruka decided to watch some alien documentaries with Celty, knowing full well that Celty was terrified of the 'little green men,' and saying things like "Dullahan's could be aliens, you know. So would that mean you're afraid of your own kind?"

Celty let out an inaudible sigh, her shoulders slumping. She gave Shinra what he interpreted to be a pleading 'look'.

"Sorry Celty, I can't help you there. Once she's made up her mind, you can't change it. And to be honest, she still kinda scares me," Shinra shivered. He hadn't forgotten the first time he had tried to wake Haruka up back in their high school days. He learned about her natural reflex to lash out upon being woken up the hard way, with a metal bat to his ribs that landed him in the hospital for a couple days.

"CELTY! Let's go~! Come on~!" Haruka's whine echoed from down the corridor.

Celty shuffled out the door after a moment of hesitation. This was going to be a long job.

* * *

><p>"WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO!"<p>

The nightly denizens of Ikebukuro gaped, as usual, at the sight of the Black Rider, but were even more surprised to see a girl riding as well, shrieking happily all the while.

"Hey Celty, what exactly is your job today anyways?" Haruka questioned once they stopped in a random, deserted alleyway.

Celty tapped her reply into her phone. "I'm….not exactly sure…Izaya didn't really go into detail. He just said to be here exactly at 7:55 PM."

Haruka hummed in response, making a fist and gently hitting the inside of her open palm. "Then something's gonna go down in 5 minutes~! This'll be fun then!" She jumped off of her spot on a low wall surrounding one of the alleyway doors and peaked around the corner. Seeing nothing of interest, she skipped back to the Dullahan's side, hearing the frenzied tapping of buttons.  
>"Then should you really be here? You'll get hurt! Or worse! You know how Izaya is!" Celty moved to type more, but Haruka placed a hand on Celty's helmet.<p>

"Momentai, Celty. [1] Nothing Izaya throws at you is something you can't handle. And you don't have to watch over me; I can take care of myself. Don't worry, alright? Just be a dear and focus on your job."

Celty shook her head as she typed into her phone again. "You really are hard to predict sometimes. You sound so…motherly right now."

"Only if you're my beloved daughter, Celty-baby~!" Haruka cackled and, hearing a rumble from around the alleyway entrance, leapt back to her seat on the low wall. "Look alive!"

A bullet came flying through the air. Haruka had to lean back to dodge the bullet as it passed through Celty's wispy smoke, making her fall off the wall. Despite the near death experience, Haruka just lied on the stairs, laughing away as she watched Celty fight the attacking men.

It was at times like these that Haruka couldn't help but compare Celty to a majestic depiction of a messenger of Death when she fought. She was no simple, tacky grim reaper. Black shadows coiled around her and her grand scythe, wafting through the air. The moonlight reflected off her helmet, giving her an even more ethereal appearance. The graceful but powerful movements she made when she swung her weapon. No unnecessary movements; no sounds except the screams of her attackers. It was like watching a well-choreographed ballet, albeit a bit more violent…and bloody. Everything made her beauty stand out. Celty was always a magnificent sight to witness, captivating all that saw her, Haruka included.

A phone was suddenly shoved in her face. "Are you alright?" Haruka could feel the anxiety rolling off of Celty in waves. "The bullets didn't hit you, did they?" The Dullahan lifted Haruka to her feet, frantically searching for any signs of injury.

The auburn-haired woman placed her hands on Celty's shoulders, effectively stopping her panicked movements. "Now who's being a momma bear, hmm?" The large, teasing grin on Haruka's face put Celty at ease, her shoulders slumping in relief.

"Awwwww~! You're sooooooo~ cute!" Haruka tackled the poor, unsuspecting headless rider, causing them both to fall to the ground. "I could definitely adopt you! You're so glompable! And I'd even go so far as saying you're adorkable!" Haruka squealed, rubbing her face lovingly against Celty's helmet.

"AH! Stop it!" Celty wriggled in her tight grasp. Well, they were in a rather compromising position. One that would, without a doubt, give Shinra a nosebleed.

"I'll take you home." Celty typed once she was free and had calmed down.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you'll be okay?"<p>

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be fine Celty. You should get going. Shinra's probably waiting by the door for the moment you walk in. Well…maybe. I don't know how far along you are in love life."

Haruka could tell that her statement embarrassed the other woman, her shadows whipping around agitatedly. She could practically see the blush of her companion's nonexistent face.

It seemed that Celty chose to ignore it though, as she typed, "Please be careful. You know how Izaya is. He won't hesitate to get rid of you if it benefits him. All I ask is that you please be careful."

Haruka only nodded, motioning for Celty to get moving with the sluggish waving of her hand. And with one last hesitant glance at Haruka, Celty was gone.

"Don't worry, Celty." Haruka spoke darkly, tilting her head to look up at the full moon with glazed eyes. "Izaya can't dispose of me just yet. He still needs this precious pawn to spread chaos and clear off the board. Though I won't be the one calling checkmate, it will be coming. Soon…"

* * *

><p>[1] Momentai means relax, take it easy, calm down, etc. If you can guess what anime I got this from, I will love you forever~! xD<p> 


	7. The Flip Side

"SHIIIIIIIZZUUUUUUUUUUUOOOOOO OOOOO-KUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNN!"

The blonde turned to look over his shoulder as a fast-moving mass of blue slammed into his back, its arms and legs locking around him. Before he could peel off the -irritating- overly-energetic woman, she tightened her grip around him and shouted, "I caught him, Celty! I caught the bartender-disguised Secret Service agent slash Blondie Hulk!"

Shizuo's eye twitched at the strange nickname as he yanked Haruka off of him as gently as he could. Luckily, Celty arrived before Haruka could further agitate him.

"_Sorry about that, Shizuo._" Celty shook her head as she typed. "_A certain idiotic roommate of mine gave Haruka some candy before we left._" More clicking. "_I needed to ask a favor of you. It's really important._"

Shizuo could feel the change in Celty's mood and nodded. "What is it?"

With a silent sigh, Celty held up her phone. "_Please watch over Haruka today._"

Shizuo's eyebrows furrowed at the thought. "Why do you need me to babysit? Couldn't you have left her with Shinra?"

Celty shook her head once more. "_He has clients right now and I have a job to do._" She seemed to hesitate for a moment before typing again. "_I have a bad feeling something is going to happen to her today, so I don't want to take her with me. She'd be safest with you._"

The blonde's eyes narrowed. "That damn flea?" he growled, glancing back at Haruka, who was distracted by a puppy someone was taking for a walk.

"_Unfortunately, I'm certain he'll be behind it. And I know Haruka can tell it's coming. She pretends to be oblivious to it, but I've known her long enough to know that she's not as airheaded as she acts… I…_" Celty paused, debating whether or not she should continue.

Shizuo glanced over his sunglasses at the hesitant Dullahan. "You what?"

"_I think… Haruka only acts this way so she doesn't worry anyone. Shinra told me that she was like this during high school… but he also said there was one day during their last year of middle school where she kept to herself and was uncharacteristically despondent. I can't even imagine her being like that… and I have a feeling Izaya knows what happened._"

"Celty," Haruka whined, "are we gonna do something or what? I'm bored!" The auburn-haired woman suddenly appeared between the two, her ridiculously long scarf trailing behind her.

Celty quick drew back her phone, away from Haruka's view, and typed a new message to hide the previous one. "_Shinra and I are busy right now, so you're staying with Shizuo today._"

"I can't go on your super secret mission today?" Haruka pouted dejectedly, stomping her foot childishly.

"_No, it's too dangerous. Just stay with Shizuo, okay? Look. He's already leaving._" Celty got on her bike and pointed at Shizuo's slowly disappearing form, motioning for Haruka to follow him. A hand shot out as she revved her engine, gripping her wrist tightly.

"Celty~," Haruka chimed, tilting her head to the side cutely, "please refrain from digging into my past. You shouldn't stick your cute, little nose where it shouldn't be. It might just get chopped off~ !"

Haruka let go of Celty's wrist, patted her helmet, and skipped off to find Shizuo in the crowd, bidding the Dullahan a cheery farewell.

Celty stared after the bubbly woman. She wrapped her arms protectively around her trembling body. To any other person, Haruka had the appearance of an innocent little girl. But Celty could see the darkness that lined her sweet façade. Fear sent shivers down her spine as she thought of the menacing stare she had received.

Haruka's bangs had shaded her eyes, making their dark brown color seem closer to pitch black. Her smiling eyes had narrowed just slightly, adding a feel of malevolence to her predatory gaze. Her lips had just barely parted and upturned into a gentle smile, one that had made Celty feel like a rabbit caught in the path of a hungry fox with no escape.

Although Haruka's voice had been sickeningly sweet, Celty had been able to hear the scathingly venomous undertone. The normally pleasant air about the woman twisted into something so malicious, so terrifying, that it had suffocated the Dullahan and chilled her to the bone.

'_W-was that… really Haruka?_'


	8. Happy Birthday

**A/N**: I was so frustrated trying to edit the next chapter that I had forgotten that this one was just sitting there all along, waiting to be posted. OTL I fail.

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><p>It didn't take long for Haruka to find Shizuo. The crowd seemed to part as Ikebukuro's strongest man walked by; no one wanted to be the unlucky fool to face his wrath.<p>

"Geez," Haruka huffed, slipping her fingers in between his when she caught up, "you're a horrible babysitter! You left me behind!"

The bartender look-alike simply grunted, seeming to ignore her accusation and their laced fingers.

Haruka pouted for the umpteenth time that day, not happy that she was being ignored. She started swinging their arms as they walked, earning strange stares from passersby. "So where are we going?"

"Nowhere."

"O… kay…? So where do you _wanna_ go?" Haruka asked, not giving up.

"Nowhere."

Haruka's eye twitched in annoyance. Shizuo was being boring and her interest was rapidly dwindling. After a few more minutes of questioning with each question being met with short, monotone responses, the woman let go of his hand and came to a stop. "Well, since you're boring me to death, I'll go find Erika and Walker to hang out with. It's clear you're not gonna be a good babysitter and keep me entertained today." Haruka spun on her heel and raced off. She didn't get very far before Shizuo grabbed her sweater's collar and lifted her into the air.

The resulting uncharacteristic glare Shizuo received didn't bother him in the least. "You're not going anywhere." He set her on the ground and continued walking, dragging Haruka along by her collar.

"If you don't let go of my sweater, I'll slip out of it and run off," she threatened, already worming her way out. Shizuo, knowing that she _**would**_ do it, immediately released her.

Once released, Haruka tugged the hem of her sweater and undershirt back down and readjusted her scarf. "Since _you're_ not going anywhere, _I_ say we're going to the park. I wanna play on the swings."

Shizuo, not wanting to deal with her throwing a temper tantrum, went along with it, walking alongside Haruka as she skipped down the street. Luckily, the park was nearby.

"By the way, aren't you cold? It's the middle of January and you're only wearing that bartender outfit." Haruka asked suddenly, staring at the outfit in question as she twirled around to walk backwards to the park.

When Shizuo didn't answer, Haruka threw a quick glance back at the approaching park entrance before unwinding her scarf and wrapping it around Shizuo. "This scarf is **really** important to me, but I'm entrusting it to you for the day. I expect it back, unharmed, at the end of the day. If you so much as get a speck of dirt on it, I **will** kill you." With that said, the brown-eyed woman bounded off the swing set.

Haruka was quickly distracted by the swings, allowing Shizuo to relax on a nearby bench and get a better look at the cloth around his neck.

The scarf was very long, enough to have wrapped around his neck twice and still have both ends hang down to his stomach. The entire piece was a crimson red and the edges trimmed with lavender lacing. On one end, Haruka's name was knitted in sideways with lavender yarn. On the other end was a large, elaborate dahlia flower, outlined in black yarn and dotted with lavender.

'_This is handmade. Did she make this?_' Shizuo pondered, glancing up to check on Haruka. He spotted her easily, as she was the only one in the playground since school was still in session. A goofy grin was plastered on her face as she pumped her legs, trying to get even higher than she already was. Feeling his gaze, she looked up and waved at him. She flailed a bit when she lost her balance, but quickly regained it and grinned sheepishly.

In the next moment, Shizuo was on his feet and rushing over to catch Haruka before she hit the ground. Haruka had fallen asleep while on the swings and fell off on the upswing.

"This woman is nothing but trouble," he grumbled, setting her down on the bench he previously occupied. Now that she wasn't annoyingly loud and bouncing around, Shizuo was able to get a better look at her.

Haruka's auburn hair was much shorter than it was when he saw her a few days ago, reaching an inch above her shoulders. Her bangs were pinned to the side with a hairpin, a decorative fabric flower similar to the one on her scarf glued to it. She donned a loose, snowy, pale blue sweater that clashed with her scarf, the white straps of her undershirt peeking out from beneath. Her jeans were tucked into her boots, which were a slightly darker shade of blue than her sweater.

Shizuo noted that, for once, her face was relaxed into a peaceful smile rather than the usual, mischievous grin. '_She actually looks really pretty when she smiles._' he thought, a miniscule smile of his own tugging at his lips. The smile, however, was immediately replaced with a frown when he realized Haruka would be waking up soon, going back to her usual irritating self. He momentarily contemplated leaving her there and going about his own business, but he reminded himself that he **had** silently agreed to watch over her for the day.

Thinking about Celty's warning, Shizuo scanned the area for any sign of the malicious informant. His blood boiled at the sight of a black-haired figure strutting down the street a couple blocks over, a familiar fur-lined coat engulfing his lithe body. Within seconds, Shizuo had the bench flying through the air as he gave chase to the fleeing figure.

Haruka's eyes fluttered open moments later. It took her a moment to remember where she was, or at least where she was supposed to be. Haruka sat up slowly, taking in her new surroundings. Her eyes locked onto a pair of legs in front of her. Following them up, she spotted not her blonde babysitter, but a rather intimidating man with four equally burly men behind him. The chain link fence behind her trapped her in the foreboding alleyway. The click that accompanied the cocking of a gun made her refocus her attention on the men standing before her, a slick, black gun pressing against her forehead.

It was then that Haruka saw her dark-haired roommate standing on one of the fire escape platforms above the men. The gleam in his eyes revealed the sheer enjoyment he felt at her entrapment and soon-to-be demise. A cruel laugh passed his lips, which were twisted into a devilish smirk.

"Happy birthday Haruka-chan~!"

A gunshot resounded and silence fell.


	9. Red Flag

**A/N**: I made a banner for this fanfic. It's on my profile page. I'd have to say the banner for this fanfic is the best one thus far. Also, I changed the little pic for the fanfic. It is now a pic of Haruka when she had longer hair (as seen better in the banner).

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><p>"Damn it!"<p>

The blonde-haired debt collector tore down the street, eyes scanning the area wildly. "She'd better be okay," he grumbled.

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><p>"<em>IIIIZAAAAYAAAA!" Shizuo launched object after object at the cause of his rage. Said target merely continued to run, a small squeak squeezing out of him as a vending machine just skimmed his head. The squeal was enough for Shizuo to realize that something wasn't right. He stopped running for a moment to take aim with the pole in his hands. Taking a few steps, he tossed the pole sideways, effectively hitting and pinning down his target. <em>

_The frustrated blonde stomped over to the trapped, black-haired pest, lifting the man up by his collar. Immediately, Shizuo's stomach dropped. The man he caught was definitely __**not**__ Izaya. While he had black hair and was dressed exactly like Izaya, this man's eyes were a light brown color. The man was on the verge of tears, trembling in fear. _

"_I'm sorry! Please don't kill me!" the man pleaded, tears now pouring down his face. _

"_Where's that damn flea?" Shizuo growled._

"_I-I don't k-know! He o-only said he'd pay off my debts if I wore this outfit and walked around town today! I-I don't know w-why!"_

_In his anger, Shizuo threw the man into a wall. He took off back to the park, only to discover that Haruka was no longer there. "Damn it!"_

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><p>Shizuo knew instantly that this was exactly what Celty had warned him about. Who knew what that twisted information broker was doing to Haruka. It was especially disconcerting how Izaya made sure the bubble-brained woman was completely alone. He had sent Celty that job request and probably caused the injuries of Shinra's clients. Izaya, having predicted Celty's concern and her subsequent appeal to Shizuo, sent the blonde on a wild goose chase through town. A growl tore from his throat as the realization hit him.<p>

Shizuo's frustration grew the longer his search drew on with no signs of anything out of the ordinary. His grip tightened around the end of the scarf Haruka let him borrow. '_I'll kill him for this. He'd better not have done anything to her._'

Despite his grumbling, Shizuo had come to enjoy the lively woman's company. As annoying and troublesome as she was, Haruka still was one of the very few people who didn't run away from him on sight after witnessing his violent fits. Haruka even went as far as to seek him out and keep him company, even when he lied and said he wanted to be alone or threatened her. He would never admit any of this, of course. However, he'd be damned if he let Haruka get killed, especially under his watch.

Shizuo glanced into every alleyway he passed. Somehow he knew Izaya would utilize the dark areas in his schemes.

Another alleyway was coming up on his left when someone stumbled out of the one across the street. Shizuo skidded to a stop, recognizing the lithe figure. His heart pumped faster when he took notice of her appearance.

Familiar auburn hair was matted down by a dark red liquid. The strands of hair that didn't stick to her skin eerily shadowed her face. The same liquid drenched her figure, staining the light-colored outfit she wore a vibrant crimson. The woman's head was bowed, her arms hanging limply at her sides. She stood perfectly still, with the exception of her slumped, trembling shoulders.

"Haruka!" Shuzio shouted, rushing over to her side. A short, muffled laugh, one that almost sounded like a huff, reached his ears as he approached. Shizuo would have brushed it off as nothing, but another laugh followed right after. Then another. And another. Each laugh got progressively louder with a shorter gap between them.

Haruka suddenly threw her head back, revealing her wide eyes and the psychotic grin splayed on her face. A crazed cackle escaped her lips.

Shizuo, a bit unnerved by her sudden change, peered into the alley she stepped out from. What he saw made even him stumble back in shock.


	10. Dangerous

The strong iron stench of blood filled the alley. Suited men were lying haphazardly about the alley in puddles of blood. '_Their own blood,_' Shizuo noted, seeing the numerous wounds that littered their bodies. Guns and knives were scattered about, untouched.

"Ah, Shizu-chan~! This is your first time seeing Haruka-chan's handy work, isn't it?"

Shizuo's head snapped up, finding the red-eyed informant leaning on the railing of a fire escape above. "You damn flea! What the hell did you do to her?!"

Izaya's smirk only widened at the question. "Me? I did absolutely nothing to her. All I did was give her this little birthday present," he laughed, motioning to the scene before them. "And I'd say she loves it very much. After all, she hasn't been able to let loose in such a long time."

A malicious giggle echoed behind the blonde, causing him to look back towards the entrance. Haruka's empty brown eyes, tinted red from the reflection of the blood around them, stared back at him. "Of course I love it, Zaya-kun~! It's not every day I can have so much fun like this! And I was sooooooo stressed lately too!"

Izaya was quick to agree. "Of course~! After all, today is nearly month away from _**that **_day."

The manic grin on Haruka's face vanished instantly, a grimace appearing in its place. "Izaya…" The tone she used was one Shizuo never thought he would hear from her. The tone alone showed how much more dangerous Haruka was than Shizuo had originally thought.

Without warning, Haruka flung something at Izaya, who managed to block just in time with his knife. The sound of metal hitting metal echoed in the alley before the object fell to the ground with a dull _clang_. Both males turned their gaze to the object: a small, bloody key.

"You owe me a new house key, Izaya. Since there's nothing left for me to do here, I'm going home and taking a bath." With that, she turned around and walked away.

However, Haruka stopped mid-step just as she was about to step out into the light of the street. She spun around on her heel, her normal grin back on her face. "I almost forgot~!" She skipped back to Shizuo and reached for the scarf wrapped around his neck. The blonde tensed, wary and ready to protect himself if need be.

The brown-eyed woman paused when she realized that her hands were still sticky with blood. She jutted her lower lip out in a pout, her eyebrows furrowed in thought. After a second, her eyes brightened as something occurred to her. She knelt down beside one of the suited men and wiped her hands on a clean section of his blazer. Once she was sure her hands were dry, she reached up once again and carefully took the scarf back. "Thanks for taking care of my precious scarf, Shizuo-kun~! See ya!" Haruka cheerfully skipped out of the alley, ignoring the fearful stares she received for being covered in blood.

Shizuo, not knowing how to react, turned to beat some answers out of Izaya, only to find said informant making his escape.

"IIIIIIIIIIIZAAAAAYAAAAA!"


	11. Warning

Haruka glared at the door in front of her. A note, clearly something Shinra hastily scribbled, was taped to it saying that the apartment's occupants weren't home at the time. The frown set on Haruka's lips deepened when she mentally recounted how many times she'd seen that note in the past week.

'_They're avoiding me,' _Haruka thought, swiping the note from the door and replacing it with numerous alien stickers before childishly storming off. She pouted as she left building and wandered the city. Haruka realized that they'd been avoiding her since she had scolded Celty. _'They can't _possibly_ be mad at me for _**that**_._' She then giggled when she recalled how much fun she had later that day. Speaking of fun, was that a familiar head of black hair she spotted?

The auburn-haired woman weaved through the crowd quickly and tugged on the person's jacket. "Yo~!" she greeted, happy to have found someone to play with.

The boy turned around, eyes widening in recognition. "It's you!"

"Yup! It's me~!" Haruka trilled, happy that the boy remembered her. "And since you don't look like you're doing much, how 'bout we hang out? I'm so _lonely_~!" Without letting the boy get a word in, she dragged him off to the Sunshine City building.

Hours later, Mikado was leaning against the outside of the Sunshine City building, panting heavily after the last bout of DDR Haruka forced him to play with her. [1] Of course, she picked the hardest songs and wouldn't let him stop when it turned out to be too much for him.

"Well," Haruka sighed, prancing out of the building to stand next to the tired boy, "I suppose you have to be heading home. You have school tomorrow, after all." She shoved a prize she won in the arcade into Mikado's arms, partially as a gift and partially because she didn't need it.

Mikado had no use for the toy either, but learned through the course of the day that one just doesn't win an argument with Haruka. "That's right. Thank you for today. You didn't have to pay for me, but thank you. I'll try talking to Celty on your behalf. That's what you really wanted, right?"

Haruka waved it off, though her eyes narrowed just slightly at the implication. "Don't worry about it. It was hilarious watching you struggle at DDR," she laughed. "And don't even think of getting rid of that toy. Give it to that little girlfriend of yours," she teased, winking just as the boy sputtered out that she wasn't his girlfriend, his face flushing a deep red.

"Yeah yeah. Now get going." Haruka watched Mikado disappear into the night crowd. Once she could no longer see him, she spoke up again. "You can come out now. I know you've been following us almost all day."

The person hesitated for a moment before walking out from the alley behind her. "What are you planning to do to Mikado?"

Haruka kept her gaze forward. "My, my. So distrustful. I'm not plotting anything. I'm just having some fun."

The high school boy was not satisfied with that answer. "Stop pretending to be clueless! I know you have an ulterior motive," he growled.

A light chuckle escaped the woman's lips as she turned to face him. Her piercing gaze made the boy take a step back. Like a cat taunting her prey, Haruka started circling the blonde. "You know, I find your situation rather ironic. You're his closest friend, yet you know him the least. You wish to protect him, yet he himself is your greatest threat."

Masaomi was stunned by Haruka's claims. "W-what do you mean? I'm his best friend! Mikado wouldn't hide anything from me!"

Haruka's cruel leer didn't falter at his outburst. "So says you. But isn't that a bit hypocritical? After all, you're hiding so much from him as well, aren't you?"

Seeing the guilt on the boy's face, Haruka felt she should give him a fair warning. She spun on her heel and sauntered away. "You'd best be careful around him, Masaomi-kun. Watch him and make sure he doesn't get _too_ bored, lest you may have another Izaya to deal with."

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><p>[1] Dance Dance Revolution<p> 


	12. Talk

"I want to be able to control my power. I want to be stronger..."

Celty listened to the blonde as he vented his frustration at his lack of control. In a sense, she could relate to Shizuo's plight. Both of them were outcasts of society, looked upon with fear because of their strange abilities and appearance.

"Sorry for the rant," Shizuo apologized once he finished.

The headless woman simply waved it off. "It's fine," she typed. "Would it be alright if I got something off my chest as well?"

Shizuo nodded, lifting a newly lit cigarette to his lips.

"_I've been avoiding Haruka lately. The last time I was with her, that day I left her with you, she didn't act like herself and it really spooked me. I was determined to just keep avoiding her because I was afraid of her, but yesterday someone made me realize something: I'm treating Haruka like everyone treats me. Because of that__** one**__ incident, I just started treating her like she was some kind of monster. And I feel awful about it._

"_I know what it's like to be viewed that way, and yet here I am treating a friend like that. Even with what she did, she's still the same Haruka that teases me. The same Haruka that falls asleep out of nowhere. The same Haruka that didn't bat an eye when she found out what I was. She just bluntly said that we were friends and that what I was didn't matter. She accepted me just like that. You have no idea how happy that made me feel. So if she could accept me and everything that comes with being friends with me, why did I so easily push her away? I'm a horrible friend._"Celty's shoulders slumped the more she thought about it. "_It makes me feel even worse knowing that when I see her again and apologize, she'll wave it off and act like I didn't treat her terribly._"

Shizuo exhaled, a trail of smoke escaping from his lips. "I haven't seen her much since then either. I think she's avoiding me. She probably thinks I'm scared of what I saw that day. She must be as stupid as she acts."

Celty's helmet tilted slightly. "_So you noticed as well? That she puts on an act?" _

"I think it's pretty obvious that she's trying to hide something with that stupid little act of hers," Shizuo huffed, snuffing out the cigarette under his shoe. "It's just a matter of what."

There was a long period of silence between the two as they thought about what Haruka could possibly be hiding. After a while, Shizuo finally stood. "Well, my break is over. I gotta get back to work." He had already started walking away when Celty reached out and tapped his shoulder.

"_You should talk to her about what you told me today. I once told her about how I felt uncomfortable with how people react to me. Haruka just listened quietly then told me that I should just be myself. That I am what I am and there's nothing that will change that. That I shouldn't care about what everyone else thinks and only worry about what I think. She said that my problem was that __**I **__couldn't accept who I was and so I worried about what others thought of me. And when I thought about it later, I realized that the problem __**was**__ me. And once I followed her advice, everything just seemed to fall into pla—" _

Celty jolted, realizing that she was ranting. "_Sorry. What I'm trying to say is that she may not look it, but Haruka makes for a really good counselor._"

The bartender look-alike nodded and continued on his way, lazily waving goodbye. "I'll think about it."


	13. Genuine

**A/N: **Updates after this will be a longer while than normal (as if they weren't long already). I have lots of things I have to do for school, summer classes, my clubs, and preparing for the numerous anime conventions I am going to (making more than 3 different cosplays and my groups' props). Please bear with me.

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><p>The rev of a motorcycle was all it took for Haruka to leap from her spot on the stairs and run down to confront her unsuspecting victim.<p>

"CELTYYYYY!" Haruka glomped the poor Dullahan. "Why don't you love me?!"

The headless women flailed about for a moment to try and keep her balance before falling on the ground, Haruka on top of her. Celty tried to escape Haruka's grasp, but was unsuccessful. She then tried to type on her phone, but couldn't reach the keypad.

Meanwhile, Haruka continued to whine. "You've been ignoring me for WEEKS! They say rabbits die if they're alone, y'know!"

"Except you're not a rabbit, Haruka-chan." Shinra must've heard the fuss and decided to check on Celty. "Maybe if you let Celty type, you'd know that she isn't avoiding you anymore."

Celty felt even guiltier seeing Haruka's wide, watery eyes glance up at her and the pitifully hopeful look on her face, even though she knew it was all just an act. "_I'm sorry, Haruka. I've been a terrible friend. I treated you like a monster just because of one little incident. I'm such a hypocrite, especially since you accepted me without hesitation. So please—"_

"What are you talking about? You were just giving me tough love, weren't you? Oh you're so coooooy~, Celty baby~! But it's okay. I know you love playing hard to get. Right, Shinra? You'd know all about that~!" Haruka teased.

"Yeah…" the underground doctor sighed.

Haruka rolled off of Celty and onto her feet. "Aaaaanyways, I just dropped by to make sure you were alive. Bye bye~!" She gave a two-finger salute and skipped towards the building exit.

Shinra's eyebrows furrowed in thought, causing Celty to give him a curious 'look'.

"_What's wrong, Shinra?"_

"For a moment, Haruka's eyes truly reflected sadness. That's the first genuine emotion I've seen from her in years."


	14. The Child

**A/N**: Wow... it's been way too long. Really sorry about that. It's been a pretty rough school year for me. I had this chapter ready 4 months ago, but life got in the way. I hope to have at least one more chapter ready and posted by the end of the year. I'll try my hardest!

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><p>"Namie-chan~, you're here today~!"<p>

"Don't sound so surprised; I'm here every day. You know that, Haruka," the woman growled, already annoyed with Haruka's antics.

"Yeah, but who knows when you'll be unnecessary to Zaya-kun~! You'll just end up in some alley somewhere when that happens~," Haruka cackled obnoxiously, plopping onto the couch as Namie typed on her laptop. "Speaking of Zaya-kun, where is he?"

The sound of typing stopped briefly before continuing louder than before. "Who knows."

"Where, oh where could Zaya-kun be~?!" Haruka dramatically rolled off the couch and onto the floor before peeking around the couch at the secretary. "You didn't kill him or anything, right?"

The black-haired secretary's face remained impassive, though the small twitch of her lip upwards gave away her amusement at the thought of the informant being dead.

"Oh wait, what am I saying? You don't have that kind of power. You're just a pawn in his game. Kyahahahaha!"

Namie's eye twitched, but she managed to maintain her composure, having dealt with Haruka's lunacy for over four months now.

"You have a brother, don't you? One you love very dearly, right?" Haruka prodded suddenly, sounding strangely serious.

Namie glanced at Haruka, eyes narrowed in suspicion and warning as she momentarily stopped typing. She wasn't sure where the strange woman was going with this and deemed it best not to answer.

Haruka took the silence as a 'yes'. Just as suddenly as the serious Haruka had appeared, the giggling and bubbly Haruka returned once again. "If I were you, I'd take goooooooooood care of him. You never know when he'll be taken away from you. Just like those people you spirited away for your little experiments!" With that, the auburn-haired woman skipped out the door, leaving a slightly disturbed Namie in her wake.

* * *

><p>As soon as Haruka saw the large number of upturned signs and vending machines, she knew she was on the right path. She pranced along, seemingly unaffected by the mid-summer heat, and followed the trail until she found the person she was looking for. "Zaya-kun!" she chirped from her spot on the sidelines, watching the informant and the blonde Hulk fight with sparkling eyes.<p>

Izaya's eyes flicked briefly over to her before he jumped in the opposite direction to avoid the yield sign Shizuo was swinging. Neither Izaya nor Shizuo seemed to notice the child chasing a ball straight towards them and into Shizuo's war path.

The child looked no older than five years old and clearly didn't seem to realize the danger he was running towards. He didn't see Shizuo winding up to swing the sign once again. He didn't see Izaya standing some feet in front of him, ready to leap out of the way once Shizuo swung. None of them noticed that the auburn-haired woman was no longer standing in the sidelines until the sign slammed into her side and launched her into a brick wall with a sickening crack. Her motionless body fell to the ground with a dull 'thump'.

"HARUKA!" Two voices cried out, but neither reached her.

The boy was cradled protectively in her now limp arms. He had no injuries aside from the small scrapes from hitting the ground, as Haruka had taken a majority of the blows. He crawled out of her loose grip, kneeling in the slowly growing puddle of blood pooling under Haruka, and started shaking her. "_Missy, wake up._" The boy said in English. "_Missy, up!_" When she didn't respond, the boy started to cry.

The sound of an ambulance's sirens echoed the child's wails.


End file.
